[0:00] [Music]
[0:00] he
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[1:45] [Applause]
[1:51] [Music]
[3:28] he
[3:31] [Music]
[4:06] before the start of the meeting I'd like
[4:07] to turn the floor over to Mayor McCarthy
[4:09] for the Ser meeting call to order the
[4:12] connected the urban renewal agency and
[4:14] I'll entertain a motion to adjourn the
[4:16] agency to
[4:19] 5:30 Monday July 1st I'd like to make a
[4:22] motion moved by Mr Mancini second by Mr
[4:25] Farley all in
[4:27] favor thank you thank you mayor I'd like
[4:31] to call the city Caucus meeting to order
[4:33] for Monday June
[4:34] 204th
[4:37] 2024 we have two public hearings this evening if the clerk would please
[4:42] read public hearing number one regarding
[4:44] the amendments to the city of SKC zoning
[4:46] ordinance relating to the Hamilton Hill
[4:48] Redevelopment plan also referred to as
[4:51] the skty 40 project in the area of
[4:53] Albany page State and SKC streets public
[4:57] hearing number two public hearing number
[5:00] two regarding amendments to the SKC city
[5:02] code on proposed changes to the city of
[5:04] SKC historic district ordinance and
[5:06] related historic district and zoning
[5:09] ordinances we have 15 items for original
[5:12] consideration if the clerk would please
[5:13] read item number one item number one for
[5:16] final consideration an
[5:18] ordinance regulating vape shops smoke
[5:21] shops Vape lounges hookah lounges and
[5:23] vape consumption
[5:24] businesses discussed in committee with
[5:27] objection on consent item number two for original
[5:31] consideration a resolution accepting the
[5:33] independent Auditor's report for 2023
[5:36] discussed in committee without objection
[5:37] on consent item number three item number
[5:40] three for original consideration a
[5:41] resolution approving the information
[5:43] technology incident response plan
[5:46] discussed in committee without objection
[5:48] on consent item number four item number
[5:50] four for original consideration a
[5:52] resolution authorizing the mayor to
[5:54] accept 1,
[5:55] 15694 N4 law enforcement technology
[5:59] Grant from the New York State Department
[6:01] of Criminal Justice Services discussed
[6:03] in committee without objection on
[6:05] consent item number five item number
[6:07] five for original consideration a
[6:08] resolution authorizing the mayor to
[6:10] accept $
[6:11] 53,486 Grant award from the New York
[6:15] State Department of Criminal Justice
[6:16] Services discuss in committee without
[6:18] objection on consent item number six for original
[6:22] consideration a resolution declaring the
[6:24] connected city council as lead Agency
[6:26] for the Mohawk Harbor dock project this
[6:29] discussed in committee without objection
[6:30] on consent item number seven item number
[6:33] seven for original consideration a
[6:35] resolution declaring that the adoption
[6:37] of the ordinance creating section
[6:38] 264-1111 of the code of ordinances is a
[6:42] type two action and is not subject to
[6:45] environmental review for the state
[6:46] quality review act discussed in
[6:48] committee without objection on consent
[6:50] item number eight item number eight for
[6:52] original consideration a resolution
[6:54] authorizing the mayor to enter into
[6:56] professional service contract with Dr
[6:58] Kelly Tobin for services for members of
[7:00] the SKC fire department discussed in
[7:03] committee with objection on consent item
[7:05] number nine item number nine for
[7:07] original consideration a resolution
[7:08] authorizing a sale of 463 huet Street
[7:11] for
[7:12] $60,000 discussing committee without
[7:14] objection on consent item number 10 item
[7:16] number 10 for original consideration a
[7:18] resolution authorizing the sale of 629
[7:20] Lang Street for
[7:22] $47,500 discussed in committee without
[7:25] discussed in committee on consent and
[7:27] without cons on consent without
[7:30] objection item number 11 item number 11
[7:33] for original consideration a resolution
[7:35] authorizing the sale of 1525 mvin Avenue
[7:38] for
[7:39] $180,000 discussing committee with
[7:41] objection on consent item number 12 item
[7:44] number 12 for original consideration a
[7:46] resolution authorized in the sale of
[7:47] 1821 Linux Road for for
[7:51] $150,900
[7:52] discuss and committee with objection on
[7:54] consent item number 13 item number 13
[7:57] for original consideration a res
[7:59] resolution authorizing the issuance of
[8:01] revocable permit number 685 to social
[8:03] Hospitality Group LLC DBA social on
[8:07] state for a sign that will overhang the
[8:09] city's RightWay at
[8:11] 447 State Street discuss the commit in
[8:14] committee without objection on consent
[8:16] item number 14 item number 14 for under
[8:19] contract and Supply a resolution
[8:21] awarding the bid and contract for the
[8:22] north fa Street Pump House exterior
[8:25] restoration rebid to Midstate Industries
[8:28] Ltd in the amount of
[8:37] $21,800 contract and Supply a resolution
[8:40] awarding the bid and contract for the
[8:41] simus lake wall restoration base bid and add alternate to G1 Construction
[8:47] Incorporated in the amount of
[8:58] $158,100 CL please read item 15a under
[9:01] unanimous for unanimous consent a
[9:04] resolution delaying the interest and
[9:06] penalties for the 2023 2024 School tax
[9:09] delinquencies I need a motion to place
[9:11] 15a on the
[9:13] floor second second
[9:18] yes unanimous consent is unanimous
[9:21] consent of the members
[9:25] present it's unanimous consent of the
[9:27] members present
[9:32] all in favor I yes we have a second by
[9:36] Mr uh Williams or yes we have a second
[9:41] is there any
[9:43] discussion okay so all in favor I I okay
[9:48] and um i' ask for a motion to um Place
[9:51] item 15a on the consent agenda
[9:55] so second second by Mr Mancini all in
[9:59] favor
[10:04] I it it's you may go ahead I'm I'm going
[10:07] to move them to the agenda and then
[10:09] we'll vote okay I need a motion to uh
[10:12] for motion item number 15b to be placed
[10:14] on the
[10:16] floor I need a second second by Mr
[10:19] Williams all in favor
[10:21] I I ask for a motion to place 15b on the
[10:24] consent
[10:25] agenda second all in favor I thank
[10:30] you if there's nothing more to come
[10:32] before the city council caucus I ask for
[10:33] a motion to
[10:34] adjourn moveed by Miss Patrick second by
[10:38] Mr Williams all those in favor we are
[10:41] adjourned I'd like to call the city
[10:43] council meeting to order for Monday June
[10:45] 24th
[10:47] 2024 and I'd like to call on re Reverend
[10:50] Angela D west of the Union Missionary
[10:52] Baptist Church for the prayer invocation
[11:01] come on
[11:11] up let us bow in prayer most gracious
[11:15] wise and everlasting God we thank you
[11:18] for this opportunity to come together
[11:21] for the benefit of the people of
[11:24] connecti Father we ask that you search
[11:26] our hearts through and through so that
[11:29] the work that is conducted here tonight
[11:32] is done in decency and in order father
[11:35] we pray that the decisions that are
[11:37] being made on tonight would
[11:40] benefit the young the old the poor the
[11:44] rich the least of us Lord God so that
[11:48] all people are included in the decisions
[11:51] that are being forth on being put forth
[11:53] on tonight we thank you for all those
[11:56] who have come out who not sought it
[11:59] robbery of their time to be a part of
[12:02] the decisions being made for the city of
[12:05] SKC we need you these are times Lord God
[12:08] that are sometimes uncertain for
[12:11] some but we know that you are a God of
[12:14] all people so we pray that the work
[12:17] being done is for all
[12:19] people we thank you we love you we honor
[12:23] you and we ask these things in your name
[12:27] amen we ask I'd like Shane bargie to
[12:31] lead us in the
[12:36] pledge
[12:45] States
[12:49] andice thank
[12:51] you I'd ask the clerk to please complete
[12:54] the roll call Mr Toro is absent Mr
[12:58] Farley here
[12:59] Mr
[13:01] Mancini here Mr
[13:03] mam Miss Patrick here Mr
[13:07] Williams Miss Porterfield here yes thank
[13:10] you we have two public hearings
[13:17] [Music]
[13:20] tonight and I just want to remind
[13:22] everyone that the uh the public comment
[13:24] period is extended to four minutes and I
[13:26] respectfully ask that each person only
[13:28] speak to the
[13:29] um subject relevant to the public
[13:31] hearing itself public hearing number one
[13:33] is regarding the amendments to the city
[13:35] of skincity zoning ordinance related to
[13:37] the Hamilton Hill Redevelopment plan
[13:39] also known as connec 40
[13:41] project in the area of Albany Street
[13:44] Page Street State Street and and Sky
[13:46] streets and I have no one signed up to
[13:50] speak so I would declare this Public hearing number one
[13:54] closed public hearing number two is
[13:57] regarding amendments to the city code on
[13:59] proposed changes to the City Historic
[14:02] District ordinance and related historic
[14:04] district district and zoning ordinances
[14:07] I have two people signed up to
[14:11] speak the first person is Gloria
[14:24] kiston good evening and thank you for
[14:27] this opportunity to comment on the
[14:29] proposed changes to skc's Historic
[14:33] District ordinance um I'm representing
[14:36] skty Heritage Foundation which is a uh
[14:40] 501c3 uh
[14:42] corporation that um advocates for
[14:45] historic
[14:46] preservation um there are a lot of very
[14:50] positive changes that have been proposed
[14:53] we think um there are a few things that
[14:56] uh
[14:57] we uh wish would uh not be changed and
[15:02] at the top of that list is leaving the
[15:06] number of Commissioners at 7 um we do
[15:09] not support reducing that number to five
[15:13] um with one alternate because um we know
[15:17] that there are several applications uh
[15:21] waiting uh to be reviewed um I guess by
[15:24] the mayor's office to for people who do
[15:27] want to serve on this commit
[15:30] and uh when we first heard of this uh
[15:33] proposal we did reach out to several of
[15:36] the historic districts that are
[15:38] organized and this is how these
[15:42] applications came into City Hall so we
[15:45] hope that you will retain that number
[15:49] um we think that a three-person quorum
[15:52] is really too small in order to deal
[15:54] with some of these complicated and um
[15:57] pertinent issues that come before that
[16:00] commission um we're glad that a lot of
[16:03] the language has been updated and
[16:06] brought into this Century so to speak um
[16:10] but um and we're also glad that um there
[16:14] will be a proposal to list the historic
[16:17] districts and landmarks on the city's
[16:20] website so that it's available to
[16:22] perspective buyers so they will know
[16:26] right from get-go that certain rules
[16:28] apply to buying
[16:30] properties um we like the addition of
[16:35] having review for telecomunication
[16:37] equipment which has really severely
[16:41] negatively impacted at least The
[16:43] Stockade historic district
[16:47] um the other um suggestion we would make
[16:51] is to have um the historic district
[16:55] commission whose name will change I hope
[16:58] um
[16:59] have the power to appoint Commissioners
[17:02] and with the mayor's review because uh
[17:05] we feel that the mayor has a lot more
[17:08] important things to do with his time and
[17:11] the historic commission is very famili
[17:14] much more familiar with people within
[17:17] the network of historic
[17:19] preservation and we think that if they
[17:22] initiate appointments to the commission
[17:24] with the review of the mayor um perhaps
[17:27] it would be an easier
[17:29] process um so those are our suggestions
[17:32] and we hope you take them into
[17:34] consideration thank you thank you
[17:37] Michael
[17:39] Baron good evening so I am Michael Baron
[17:43] and I reside in the GE realy plot I'm
[17:45] also the vice president of our
[17:47] neighborhood association and in August I
[17:50] will been I will have been serving on
[17:53] the historic commission as a
[17:55] commissioner uh for one year and the
[17:59] reason why I decided to come tonight is
[18:01] because I'm also in agreement with
[18:03] Gloria as far as not reducing the number
[18:06] of Commissioners from 7 to 5 we're down
[18:10] to um only four right now and we just
[18:14] had recently had a resignation and so it
[18:16] kind of makes it difficult sometimes to
[18:19] uh have a quorum uh when somebody is
[18:22] going to be out and um I just hope that
[18:25] maybe everybody would reconsider I do
[18:28] understand there are some applications
[18:29] that are in right now with some
[18:31] qualified people that would probably
[18:33] benefit the commission very well my
[18:36] experience or um expertise is not in
[18:40] preservation but I'm passionate about
[18:42] preserving the history of this
[18:43] neighborhood and the five historic
[18:46] districts that we have I think that we
[18:48] have a gem or several gems here in the
[18:50] city of skinc and they need to be
[18:53] protected so thank you thank
[18:57] you I have no El signed up to speak on
[18:59] public hearing number two so I declare
[19:01] this public hearing
[19:03] closed I would ask for approval of the
[19:05] minutes for June 10th
[19:07] 2024 move moved by Mr Williams second by
[19:11] Mr Farley all in favor I if the clerk
[19:15] could please read any Communications and
[19:20] petitions Communications presented to
[19:22] city council for Monday June 24th 2024
[19:26] under official from the mayor a list of
[19:27] appointments dated J June 24th
[19:30] 2024 under General from Michael zaper a
[19:34] letter to the city clerk's office
[19:35] thanking she and all her staff for
[19:37] always addressing his issues and under
[19:40] petitions from Jamaica miles a petition
[19:43] uh dated June 10th 2024 of 108 printed
[19:47] names from various zip codes requesting
[19:49] AC
[19:52] fire thank you I call on council members
[19:56] to provide any committee reports
[19:58] any committee
[20:02] reports this time we'll have privilege
[20:04] of the floor related to the legislative
[20:06] agenda I have two people signed up to
[20:09] speak and just a reminder you have three
[20:12] minutes for for this particular portion
[20:14] jenev Hart has an online submission
[20:17] she's
[20:21] here hello my name is Genevie Hart and I
[20:24] lived in sked county for most of my life
[20:26] as a high schooler I see the effects of
[20:28] tobacco usage on youth on a daily basis
[20:31] Vapes are a massive issue that school
[20:33] districts and communities across the
[20:34] area are facing in the last few years
[20:37] the problem has gotten much worse during
[20:39] every Locker break during Home Room
[20:41] lunch and after school sports games and
[20:43] even during class there are students
[20:45] vaping in the bathroom the smell of
[20:47] cotton candy or mango Vape smoke fills
[20:49] the bathroom in the hallway outside even
[20:51] after our school has spent countless
[20:52] hours and resources on tackling this
[20:54] issue it persists and vaping isn't just
[20:57] a problem in the high school my brother
[20:58] who's in e8th grade sees vaping in his
[21:00] school on a regular basis as well
[21:03] earlier this year I conducted interviews
[21:05] with students teachers and faculty at my
[21:07] school I learned that over half of
[21:09] students in my school Vape Vapes are
[21:11] known to be very damaging to a growing
[21:13] brain and body School staff that I
[21:15] interviewed reported that students
[21:16] academic and athletic performance has
[21:18] been noticeably impacted by Vape usage
[21:21] students told me how their friends have
[21:22] become addicted very quickly and become
[21:24] apathetic towards school and life I've
[21:26] seen this myself as well however among
[21:29] all the information which I gathered
[21:31] from these interviews the most important
[21:32] thing that I learned was that Vapes are
[21:34] terrifyingly except accessible Vapes to
[21:37] youth every single person that I
[21:39] interviewed agreed with this there is a
[21:41] vape shop located in between the middle
[21:43] and high school in my school district
[21:45] within walking distance and located
[21:46] along a hi traffic Road where many
[21:48] students walk daily additionally many
[21:51] students are able to get Vapes from
[21:52] their older friends or siblings and they
[21:54] sell them in the school bathrooms the
[21:56] problem only continues to grow Des
[21:58] efforts made by the school in order to
[22:00] make our schools and our communities
[22:02] safer for our youth local legislation
[22:04] and enforcement must be implemented
[22:06] thank you for your
[22:08] time thank
[22:12] you Judy W
[22:16] Meer hello I'm Judy W Meer director for
[22:19] tobacco free
[22:21] communities um because there's a causal
[22:24] relationship between exposure to Tobacco
[22:27] marketing and promotion and Youth
[22:28] initiation it makes sense to restrict
[22:31] where vape and smoke shops can be
[22:33] located keeping them distant from youth
[22:35] friendly
[22:36] places this proposed zoning change
[22:38] appears to do that but the most recent
[22:41] data we have indicates that there's 145
[22:43] tobacco retailers in the city of
[22:45] skincity and only 16 of them are the
[22:47] smoke and vape shops that the ordinance
[22:50] would address that means 129 tobacco
[22:53] retailers can operate without any
[22:55] restrictions regarding locations and as
[22:58] we
[22:58] demonstrated before these retailers are
[23:01] also disproportionately located in high
[23:03] poverty neighborhoods which also have
[23:05] the highest rates of Youth and adult
[23:07] tobacco use the more tobacco marketing
[23:10] and promotion a young person sees the
[23:12] more likely they are to start using the
[23:14] more tobacco marketing and promotion
[23:16] that adult smoker sees the less likely
[23:19] they are to quit the 129 retailers that
[23:22] aren't smok and vape shops can sell all
[23:24] tobacco products including ecigarettes
[23:26] and all the flavored tobacco products
[23:29] including cigars cigaros chew and hookah
[23:33] it's well established that flavored
[23:34] tobacco products pose the greatest risk
[23:36] to young people flavored tobacco
[23:38] products attract Youth and flavored
[23:40] tobacco products addict youth when
[23:43] flavored cigarettes were made illegal in
[23:45] 2009 youth increased their use of the
[23:48] cigars the flavored cigars and
[23:51] cigaros when flavored eigs
[23:54] arrived youth left behind those tobacco
[23:57] products those cigarett cigars and
[23:59] cigaros and went to
[24:01] eigs and of course we saw that a third
[24:04] of high school students in 201 18 were
[24:07] using um were
[24:10] vaping um certainly there are some
[24:13] loopholes that need to be addressed on a
[24:15] Statewide level for the flavored
[24:17] electronic cigarettes that are still
[24:19] being sold
[24:21] illegally only 11% of the adult
[24:24] population in New York smokes that
[24:26] translates to about 7,7 00 adult smokers
[24:29] in the city of skinc with 145 retailers
[24:32] in the city that breaks down to one
[24:34] tobacco retailer for every 53 smokers in
[24:37] the
[24:38] city um the purpose of this local law is
[24:41] to protect the health safety and Welfare
[24:43] of the community the families that live
[24:45] in the neighborhoods with a
[24:46] disproportionate tobacco retail presence
[24:48] disproportionately High tobacco retail
[24:50] presence would be better protected if
[24:52] the presence of all tobacco retail
[24:54] marketing and promotion was less visible
[24:56] and prominent and certainly were
[24:59] available to talk about various
[25:01] evidence-based strategies that would
[25:02] help make that more Equitable for
[25:04] everyone in the city thank you very much
[25:06] for your time thank
[25:08] [Applause]
[25:10] you I have no one else signed up to
[25:12] speak so I declare the public comment on
[25:14] the legislative agenda
[25:16] closed at this time I'll entertain
[25:18] approval of the legislative consent
[25:21] agenda move by Mr M Baron second by Miss
[25:24] Patrick all those in favor I
[25:29] this time we'll have privilege of the
[25:31] floor regarding General City
[25:33] business and I have eight people uh
[25:36] seven people signed up to speak first
[25:39] person is FAA
[25:49] ISAT good evening my name is Fatima ISAT
[25:53] and I'm a resident of the city of
[25:55] SKC five years ago my mother passed away
[25:58] I received the news when I was on lunch
[26:00] duty at a local school the news came as
[26:03] a huge shock to me and I immediately
[26:05] left the lunchroom and went to the
[26:07] office to ask the staff to send another
[26:09] teacher to take my place I then went to
[26:12] the staff room within minutes the staff
[26:15] room was filled with teachers consoling
[26:17] and comforting me I can still see their
[26:20] faces filled with concern and love soon
[26:24] after as I left the school building a
[26:26] few of my students stood at the glass
[26:29] door and watched me get into my car and
[26:31] drive away I can still see their faces
[26:34] filled with concern and love as soon as
[26:38] I got home my phone did not stop ringing
[26:41] family members from all over the world
[26:43] were calling me and offering me their
[26:45] support and love I still remember those
[26:48] conversations and the pain and shock in
[26:50] their voices close friends in the
[26:53] Capital District came to my house to
[26:55] sympathize and show their concern and
[26:58] love love I can still picture them
[27:00] sitting with me at my dining room table
[27:03] that evening a neighbor came showed up
[27:06] at my door with a huge tray of food for
[27:08] my family I still remember that rice and
[27:12] chicken the next day teachers from the
[27:15] school came in groups of two all day
[27:17] long to sit with me and give me strength
[27:20] I still remember the ones who came and
[27:22] how their visits meant so much to me a
[27:25] few days later a beautiful flower
[27:27] arrangement was delivered to my house it
[27:30] was sent to me by a nephew in Australia
[27:32] I can still picture those flowers when I
[27:36] returned to school 4 days later I was
[27:38] given a box full of condolence cards
[27:41] which had been made by my students I
[27:43] still have those cards was it possible
[27:46] that the love and concern of my
[27:48] co-workers students friends neighbors
[27:52] and family members would bring my mother
[27:55] back no will I always remember and be
[27:59] grateful for their support in my time of
[28:02] overwhelming
[28:03] grief yes mayor McCarthy Madame
[28:07] President and members of the council for
[28:10] the last nine months people all over the
[28:12] world have been grieving over what is
[28:15] taking place in Gaza would a ceasefire
[28:17] resolution passed by you put an end to
[28:20] the Bloodshed no but would it mean the
[28:24] world to people like me yes well will I
[28:28] ever forget your unwillingness to
[28:30] respond favorably to our pleas no will I
[28:35] continue to fight for justice in
[28:36] Palestine yes thank
[28:41] you thank you Claudia
[28:48] kavanau good evening councelor mayor and
[28:52] Marian I am so glad that you folks are
[28:55] returning to City business um I'm
[28:58] starting to think that maybe you should
[29:00] have an addendum to the uh City Charter
[29:03] saying that um you know from now on you
[29:06] won't take any you know action as in
[29:09] regard to International situations we
[29:11] have a lot of things to do here in the
[29:13] city and the Jewish residents of this
[29:16] city is far back and I was born and
[29:18] raised here and so are you we've eaten
[29:23] the Jews Jewish Community has done more
[29:25] for concy than any other ethnic group in
[29:28] this entire city all of them put
[29:31] together between the Golab Corporation
[29:34] they fed us the waserman I remember when
[29:37] I was little they own Grand cash Market
[29:40] very generous people between their
[29:43] philanthropy and the foundations the
[29:45] music Haven up in Central
[29:49] Park I'm I and I I'm I'm dismayed at
[29:53] what's going on up in Saratoga they're
[29:56] turning that town into a nightmare
[29:59] with the black lives matter group up
[30:00] there threatening white people it's a
[30:03] racist disgusting organization and mayor
[30:07] McCarthy I remember four years ago I
[30:09] came down here stood in this very spot
[30:12] and I said let's not take sides with
[30:14] anybody let's let's not stand you know
[30:17] let's not have that on the street of the
[30:19] city that I own property in and that I
[30:22] pay property
[30:23] taxes and I think the time has come so
[30:26] that we don't take sides with anyone to
[30:29] show that we are an inclusive community
[30:31] we always have
[30:33] been and I and Carmel I'm glad you stood
[30:35] up and spoke for yourself at the last
[30:37] meeting I saw it online that you were
[30:39] being threatened or felt threatened and
[30:42] well you
[30:43] should and I think that you have a right
[30:46] to defend yourself and your family being
[30:48] threatened and dman ever since you were
[30:50] born ma'am the comments have to be made
[30:52] to the chair I'm sorry um Maran I it's
[30:56] Miss Porterfield if you don't mind oh
[30:58] Miss Porterfield thank you I don't
[31:00] mind um so there is a petition that is
[31:04] being um started in the Jewish Community
[31:08] to remove the black lives matter sign
[31:11] off the front of the street of City Hall
[31:13] this is the people's house and we
[31:16] shouldn't show favoritism on any level
[31:19] because we've never been that kind of
[31:21] community so I think the time has
[31:26] come and so maybe you you know you may
[31:29] make a um addendum to your Charter so
[31:32] that this these kind of situations don't
[31:34] come up again and everyone lives here
[31:36] and they shop it golop Corporation I
[31:39] don't know where else you're going to
[31:40] get your food from as far back as I can
[31:43] remember Jewish people have owned Grand
[31:46] cash Albany pork store which had the
[31:48] best meat in town and Market
[31:52] 32 so let's try to put all that aside
[31:56] and just be a city of we always have
[31:59] been like we always have been and let's
[32:01] not take sides so hopefully you'll make
[32:03] a addendum to the city Charter so that
[32:06] these kind of situations and
[32:08] divisiveness do don't come up
[32:11] again and and mayor when I get the
[32:13] petition back I will deliver it to your
[32:16] office and hopefully you know um
[32:19] something you you'll you'll take the
[32:21] proper action that I asked you to four
[32:23] years ago thank you very much thank you
[32:29] soib
[32:40] shakima good
[32:42] evening um I believe God's work still
[32:46] shows in in this hall right here so the
[32:50] Reverend who led the prayer earlier
[32:53] reminded all of us that God is the God
[32:56] of all and he doesn't have boundaries
[32:59] he's not
[33:01] selective and also as we try to pledge
[33:04] the allegiance we also talk about
[33:06] freedom and liberty for all yet here we
[33:10] find ourselves thinking that peace is
[33:13] when we actually turn a blind eye to a
[33:16] group that continues to suffer for nine
[33:19] months and you know I'm not going to
[33:22] raise my voice today but I'm going to
[33:24] start with a point that actually was
[33:26] mentioned the first meeting
[33:29] as the zionists came in and they said
[33:31] we're here because we lost in Albany
[33:34] we're not here because we lost we
[33:37] strongly believe just like Martin Luther
[33:39] King Malcolm X all these Fighters they
[33:43] won they might have been killed but they
[33:46] continue to live their names will
[33:49] continue to be mentioned beyond my time
[33:51] in your time and those politicians who
[33:54] wanted them out we don't even know their
[33:57] names let alone to remember them God
[34:00] will preserve the names of those who
[34:02] actually live through God not those who
[34:05] claim to be God's people I'll tell you
[34:08] this as a Muslim I knew people of
[34:11] different Faith backgrounds but through
[34:14] this fight I made friends with Jews and
[34:18] Christians and atheists and you name it
[34:21] because we understood that you know what
[34:24] we had a common goal and that is to Pres
[34:27] preserve life I preach but you know what
[34:31] I know preaching is easy anyone can
[34:34] stand and preach but walking the Walk of
[34:37] God that he made it very clear to us
[34:40] that's the difficult one and most people
[34:43] will fail and actually in our Quran it
[34:46] says this to our own Prophet which was
[34:49] mentioned to Moses and
[34:52] Jesus bleed not and weep not if they do
[34:58] not come and support you for God did not
[35:01] like the way that they came so God made
[35:04] him sit because he doesn't want them to
[35:06] be part of this Noble
[35:09] fight the only losers for me and for the
[35:12] Jews and the Christians and the atheist
[35:14] who are on my side we know that we're
[35:17] not losing I promise deep inside each
[35:21] and every one of you those with
[35:23] conscience you know you know you are on
[35:26] the wrong side of History
[35:28] you know it doesn't matter how many
[35:30] guards you're building in front of you
[35:33] it doesn't matter how many people you
[35:34] try to actually bring into your inner
[35:36] group to make you feel comfortable you
[35:39] know when you go home at night you know
[35:42] that you are on the wrong side of
[35:44] history but are you ready to meet God
[35:47] and say it was political because lives
[35:51] God never put them as a political issue
[35:53] they're humanitarian and a faith-based
[35:56] issue and arrest my case thank you thank
[36:03] you Valerie
[36:09] torano good evening council members I'm
[36:12] here as a resident connecti for 10 years
[36:15] in support of a people's resolution of
[36:18] connec for a permanent ceasefire as 261
[36:21] days of the ethnic cleansing and
[36:24] genocide of Palestinians by the aparted
[36:26] state of Israel is inhumane I can
[36:30] understand where the conso was coming
[36:31] from was saying this doesn't affect us
[36:33] at the local level as yall have no
[36:36] jurisdiction over this however it is
[36:38] still extremely important
[36:41] to at least acknowledge how we're all
[36:45] financially complicit through our taxes
[36:48] and those who are New York state and
[36:50] local retirement system Pension Plan
[36:53] members uh
[36:59] yeah funding the aparte state of
[37:03] Israel's genocidal Collective punishment
[37:05] of Palestinians uh Palestinians
[37:09] SKC SKC citizens are mourning their lost
[37:12] loved ones or worrying if they're even
[37:15] alive even the United Nations has
[37:17] officially recognized
[37:20] through independent investigations that
[37:23] the state of Israel has committed war
[37:26] crimes in the intentional genocide of
[37:29] Palestinians this is no longer a debate
[37:32] Israel is committing a genocide the
[37:35] United Nations has also added the state
[37:37] of Israel to a blacklist of countries
[37:39] that harms children in armed conflicts
[37:41] I've seen videos of the most
[37:43] psychological sadistic military tactics
[37:45] by Israel's military using quadcopters
[37:48] playing the sounds of crying babies and
[37:50] shooting any Palestinians Who come out
[37:52] to help what they believe is a child in
[37:54] need I imagine having to listen
[37:58] all night to the sounds of a crying baby
[38:00] not knowing whether it's real or a trap
[38:02] to kill you let's put our critical
[38:04] thinking caps on and ask ourselves if
[38:07] Israel isn't committing ethnic cleansing
[38:09] then why won't Israel taken Palestinian
[38:11] refugees or taken injured Palestinians
[38:14] into their hospitals after bombing all
[38:16] of gaza's hospitals Israel's claims all
[38:19] Jews are Israeli does more harm to Jews
[38:22] in the dispora as it's conflating that
[38:24] all Jews are responsible for Israel's
[38:27] genocidal actions which is absolutely
[38:29] not true when there's anti-zionist Jews
[38:31] speaking out that Zionism doesn't speak
[38:34] for them to conclude silence is
[38:37] complicity and Palestinians blood are
[38:39] already on all of our hands thank you
[38:41] for your time to listen to my
[38:43] words thank
[38:46] you Jamaica miles
[39:02] short people
[39:04] problems my name is Jama miles I I've
[39:07] lived in this city for almost 50 years
[39:09] born and raised here lived in
[39:10] communities all across this Fair
[39:14] City conflating criticism of the state
[39:17] of Israel to Jewish hatred is
[39:19] intellectually dishonest and morally
[39:21] offensive our Focus has always been the
[39:23] United States material support for the
[39:25] Israeli government's shooting
[39:26] bombardment and starvation of innocent
[39:30] Palestinians people of varying faiths
[39:32] races ethnicities within the city stand
[39:35] in support of a ceasefire resolution
[39:37] including those of Jewish faith and
[39:41] culture this is a fact evidenced by
[39:43] every city council meeting for the last
[39:46] three months and the more than 1,000
[39:48] names who signed the petition for a
[39:50] ceasefire resolution names that some of
[39:52] you choose to ignore City residents you
[39:56] choose to ignore
[39:58] at the last city council meeting as
[39:59] anti- ceasefire speakers approached the
[40:02] podium they were handed pre-printed
[40:04] scripts much of it filled with red
[40:06] herrings used to justify the more than
[40:08] 100,000 civilian Palestinian casualties
[40:11] the starvation of millions and the
[40:14] administrative detainment of thousands
[40:17] held by Israel without due process no
[40:21] one has the right to oppress and murder
[40:22] others no one Netanyahu and his brutal
[40:26] regime need to be held accountable and
[40:28] there must be an end to the US support
[40:30] of genocide there must be a
[40:32] prioritization of funding in our local
[40:34] communities not funding of warfare and
[40:37] bombing babies this connected city
[40:40] council has been unable to come together
[40:41] to pass a ceasefire resolution for the
[40:43] people of Gaza or for the people of
[40:46] skinc so the people of skincity will the
[40:49] people will pass a resolution proving
[40:51] the power of the people and our
[40:53] commitment to bend the ark towards
[40:56] Justice the previous petition collected
[40:58] as I mentioned over 1,000 signatures
[41:01] calling for the city of skti to pass a
[41:03] ceasefire resolution for an immediate
[41:04] ceasefire to end civilian Bloodshed free
[41:07] hostages and political prisoners and
[41:09] ensure humanitarian Aid access to Gaza
[41:13] the new
[41:14] petition is very direct quite literal
[41:17] and fully transparent with its language
[41:20] it is the people's
[41:22] resolution and we are sharing it with
[41:24] the public the specific language of the
[41:26] people's resolution ution and we will
[41:28] continue to build upon the diverse
[41:30] Community calling for freedom justice
[41:34] and Liberation and for our
[41:36] representatives to stand for that
[41:38] freedom justice and Liberation for all
[41:41] of us not just some of us thank you
[41:45] thank
[41:48] you sea Young
[41:59] uh good evening Madam president mayor
[42:01] City Council
[42:03] Members tall people
[42:05] problems
[42:07] um you know I was sitting today thinking
[42:10] about what I was going to say today when
[42:11] I came um to speak to you all and speak
[42:13] to our community that's watching now and
[42:15] we'll be watching later and uh you know
[42:18] I come to the conclusion that you all
[42:19] have heard enough you've heard it all
[42:23] you've heard about the death of children
[42:25] women of uh you know children that lost
[42:28] their parents parents that lost their
[42:29] children you heard of the starvation the
[42:31] maming the constant killing since the
[42:34] two weeks since we were uh here before
[42:36] there's been hundreds more killed and
[42:38] thousands detained it's going on and on I don't know if I'm going to tell
[42:42] you anything different I guess the
[42:44] question I would have is what would be
[42:46] enough what would be enough to compel
[42:49] this body to act collectively for the
[42:51] city of skincity in calling for a
[42:55] resolution or calling for a ceasefire in
[42:57] a what would be enough would it be
[42:59] 100,000 would it be 200,000 three um do
[43:03] we need to see the starvation of the
[43:05] entire population of Palestine before
[43:07] people stand up and say hey this is
[43:08] wrong I mean I don't know I think the
[43:11] people's resolution makes a lot of sense
[43:13] um for us to just collectively come
[43:15] together as a body and say hey let's get
[43:17] this thing out there let people air
[43:19] their opinions have the voices heard and
[43:22] have a way to channel that energy
[43:24] because people are feeling
[43:27] so horrible about what's happening I
[43:30] mean I I heard some of our residents
[43:32] here speak tonight about you know own
[43:35] ethnic group doing more for the
[43:37] community and and and I I I'm like
[43:39] sitting in the back and I just couldn't
[43:40] believe what I was hearing because all I
[43:42] hear when I hear that is what justifies
[43:44] what's happening there what justifies
[43:46] our silence and I don't think that we as
[43:49] a community stand for that I know some
[43:51] of you all I've spoken to every single
[43:52] one of you I know that you are good
[43:54] people and I know that in your heart I
[43:56] believe believe you know what the right
[43:58] thing is to do in the situation that
[43:59] understand it's complex for for a whole
[44:01] host of reasons I'm here just to
[44:04] continue to push you know I push the
[44:06] voice of the community push my own voice
[44:07] and have my voice heard here and to
[44:10] example or model what it is to come up
[44:12] and speak for what you know is right
[44:13] Marth Luther King says it is always the
[44:16] right time to do the right thing I have
[44:19] now always lived by that in my own life
[44:21] certainly but I've as I've grown older
[44:23] I've come to really respect and cherish
[44:25] words like that um as I live out my days
[44:28] here in the city is connected my home
[44:30] the place where I was born in it is
[44:32] always the right time to do the right
[44:34] thing I want to speak briefly just to
[44:36] some comments about um what happened at
[44:38] committee meeting um where what we saw
[44:42] in our opinion was words or a conflation
[44:45] of violence and criminality to what
[44:48] these what was happening with people
[44:50] coming out just simply speaking to what
[44:52] they thought was just and right in the
[44:54] world and there's a entire history of
[44:57] about how that type of language is used
[44:59] to suppress the voices of the people and
[45:02] suppress what is right and I would say
[45:04] that it is important that we recognize
[45:07] that when we're speaking that there's
[45:09] entire history and context to it um that
[45:12] could be harmful the community that
[45:13] you're speaking about thank you thank
[45:17] you s
[45:22] wakan short people
[45:25] problems okay
[45:28] good evening my name is sakon before I
[45:30] start I just want to reaffirm that black
[45:32] lives matter with or without a mural on
[45:34] our
[45:35] street I am so tired I don't want to be
[45:38] standing up here anymore in fact it
[45:40] makes me anxious but I have a
[45:42] responsibility not just to my Humanity
[45:44] but to my community that is continuously
[45:46] slandered and harmed through this body
[45:48] and the rhetoric we continue to hear
[45:50] here every day I wake up to horror upon
[45:53] horror I call my elected officials I
[45:55] repost Bloodshed to my social media
[45:57] Pages hoping it changes a heart I come
[45:59] to City Council meetings I recognize if
[46:02] the drippy tap was in Gaza and not my
[46:04] kitchen precious drops of gold would be
[46:06] going down the drain I pray I
[46:09] acknowledge that the scraps of food I
[46:10] just tossed is probably the most Gins
[46:13] have gotten to eat today I pray I speak
[46:16] Circles of disbelief and grief with my
[46:18] family and friends I pray I sleep I wake
[46:22] up it
[46:23] repeats I unfortunately don't have
[46:26] anyone to write a speech for me or hand
[46:28] it to me on my way up here and my
[46:30] exhaustion lays with the exhaustion of
[46:31] everyone behind me so today I'm going to
[46:34] start the little borous task of reading
[46:36] the names of people killed by Israel
[46:38] aided by our tax dollars to remind us
[46:41] what not bringing a ceasefire deal to
[46:43] the cheers and claps of our community
[46:45] members to this body is the cost of this
[46:49] list is from November I will start from
[46:51] here and continue to remember each life
[46:53] lost in future meetings
[46:58] Ryan Abdullah zakariah Al estal less
[47:01] than one years old man Yahya YF alal
[47:06] less than one years old Salam Ahmed Al
[47:10] estal less than one years old Zan alen
[47:13] suan aler less than one years old Yasmin
[47:18] RZ Abdullah Rak masri less than one
[47:22] years old Maria Yasser camel al- masri
[47:27] less than one years
[47:28] old Aisha Jad Jalal shahen less than one
[47:32] years
[47:33] old rahima s Muhammad
[47:36] shahim less than one years old Muhammad
[47:41] MDU Muhammad Abu jazar less than one
[47:44] years old Tia MDU Muhammad Abu jazar
[47:49] less than one years old Baha Mustafa
[47:53] Jamal Musa less than 1 years old Ran ham
[47:57] Hussein Musa less than 1 years
[48:01] old musk Mahmud ibraim hegazi less than
[48:05] 1 years
[48:06] old Ahmed Muhammad Amon noal less than
[48:11] one years old son of nabila Nasser
[48:14] Muhammad nfal less than oneyear old muaz
[48:19] hany Muhammad eliad less than one years
[48:23] old Cas Eli Nabil
[48:28] Eli less than 1 years
[48:32] old I will continue next week May they
[48:35] rest in peace our blood is on their hand
[48:37] our their blood is on our hands you
[48:41] thank
[48:44] you Frank
[48:53] Wicks okay the sceny council people
[48:56] they're supporting a Siege fire are
[48:59] doing the right thing for skaki they're
[49:01] doing the right thing for the United
[49:02] States they're doing the right thing for
[49:05] the Palestinians they're doing the right
[49:07] thing for Israel why are they doing the
[49:09] right thing for Israel Israel's lost
[49:12] control of itself uh Tom Freedman who's
[49:16] the ulate the colist ultimate champion
[49:18] of Israel he's calling for Seas fire
[49:22] anyone that any every rational person
[49:24] that sees what's going on is calling for
[49:26] ceasefire we've dropped enough bombs on
[49:32] Gaza uh correspond about five or six
[49:34] hoshima bombs we've killed CI civilians
[49:37] now they recognize that there's no
[49:39] endgame so the best thing you can do
[49:41] right now is to call for seize fire for
[49:44] all concerned a final note is we have
[49:48] the
[49:49] uh uh the the is Israeli
[49:53] Lobby uh there's one congressman
[49:57] uh Bowman Jamal Bowman he calls for a
[50:00] ceasefire uh you know what's happening
[50:02] to
[50:03] him $15 million from the Israeli Lobby
[50:08] is going to defeat him in the primary
[50:11] tomorrow uh is that that Israeli Lobby
[50:14] should be illegal they don't represent
[50:16] the United States they no longer
[50:19] represent the interests of Israel it's
[50:21] not clear who they who who they
[50:23] represent with they're damaging to
[50:26] connecting they're doing damage to the
[50:28] United States they're doing damage to
[50:31] the Palestinians and they're doing
[50:32] they're ultimately damaging Israel no
[50:35] confucious noted that anyone goes for
[50:37] Revenge digs their own grave and Israel
[50:40] is digging their own grave right
[50:44] now thank
[50:48] you I have no one else signed up to
[50:51] speak so I declare the public comment of
[50:52] City business
[50:54] closed at this time any Miss mous
[50:57] business of the
[50:58] council Miss
[51:07] Patrick I wanted to um talk about the
[51:10] news the new swimming pool in Central
[51:12] Park last week the schedule um was
[51:15] published uh I appreciate that the boys
[51:17] and girls club stepped up a little bit
[51:19] earlier I I was out of town last week
[51:21] but I appreciate that the mayor opened
[51:23] the pool early because of the heat wave
[51:25] last week so the hours at the new pool
[51:28] are Monday to Friday 8:00 a.m. to 9:00
[51:31] a.m. there's an adult swim 12:30 to 6:30
[51:34] there's an open swim 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.
[51:37] there's one lane open for an adult swim
[51:40] and on Saturdays and Sundays from 12 to
[51:42] 6 it's an open swim um I also wanted to
[51:46] mention that on the 4th of July uh there
[51:48] will be a reading of the Declaration of
[51:50] Independence um here on the steps of
[51:52] City Hall at 10:00 a.m. and I hope folks
[51:54] will come out for that um
[51:57] and I also wanted to mention that there
[51:59] is a food pantry being started as a
[52:02] satellite Pantry at um it's a satellite
[52:05] Pantry to the Daily Bread food pantry at
[52:07] St Luke's it's going to be uh over at uh
[52:11] 10:40 Pearl Street at the Holy Name of
[52:13] Jesus it'll be open on
[52:16] Mondays um from 3: to 6:00 p.m. and
[52:20] they're looking for volunteers they need
[52:22] volunteers in the morning from 9: to 11:
[52:24] on Monday mornings and they're going to
[52:26] need volunteers from 2: to 4:00 p.m. and
[52:28] 4: to 6:00 p.m. on Monday afternoon so
[52:31] if anyone's interested in volunteering
[52:34] um that you'd be uh contacting a woman
[52:37] named Jackie whose number is 518 836
[52:42] 5310 um or you can email her at sld
[52:47] dailybread Food Pantry gmail.com thank
[52:52] you thank you Mr Williams
[52:58] thank
[52:59] you I first wanted to take a moment to
[53:01] just acknowledge all the voices and
[53:03] comments that have made their positions
[53:04] known at our council meeting tonight uh
[53:07] there your words are not lost on me as
[53:09] I've continuously taken notes not just
[53:11] on this one topic but just throughout my
[53:13] entire Council uh career I I don't know
[53:16] what our our next move is as a community
[53:18] but I always uh encourage um action
[53:22] groups uh to to continue to mobilize
[53:25] within yourselves uh regardless of where
[53:27] you're at and and challenge uh uh those societal norms and and your best
[53:32] intent and uh the one thing that I
[53:34] always like to point out is that
[53:36] continued dialogue is important and
[53:37] required uh so as uh this conversation
[53:41] continues uh apparently uh I just ask
[53:44] that we we as a community just remain
[53:46] open-minded and and and respective uh of
[53:49] this of this
[53:50] topic uh I also wanted to take a moment
[53:53] to uh acknowledge a social media post
[53:55] that I recognized uh for my wife uh she helped me see this um the sky fire
[54:01] department as we are entering just a
[54:03] heightened uh Fire season not just uh in
[54:05] our community but just nationally um one
[54:08] of the things I wanted to highlight and
[54:09] just thank was uh CDTA and they're
[54:11] making available uh buses so that as
[54:14] firefighters who win U most of their
[54:16] full attire and apparatuses which is
[54:18] very very tasting and and daunting if
[54:20] you can imagine in this heightened heat
[54:22] um making available just their buses to
[54:24] serve as air conditioning units uh and
[54:26] then also providing those as as
[54:28] harboring zones uh just for residents
[54:30] who are being displaced uh so truly it
[54:32] is a collaborative effort and from
[54:34] myself to you as an organization I want
[54:36] to say thank you um and then also I
[54:38] wanted to take this moment to just do a
[54:40] uh um a public announcement to our
[54:42] residents uh who are experiencing fires
[54:45] or just traumatic events that require
[54:47] EMS but specifically firefighters to
[54:49] respond to one of the things I was made
[54:51] aware of uh by our local firefighters is
[54:53] the difficulty with sometimes getting
[54:55] people who are in adjacent buildings out
[54:57] of their houses uh and from myself to
[54:59] you I can understand how being put in
[55:02] that position uh having that additional
[55:04] con inconvenience levied upon yourself
[55:07] is is is definitely a lot in some
[55:08] moments uh but truly I would ask you to
[55:11] just take a moment and move from beside
[55:12] yourself and understand that these men
[55:14] and women who are uh uh challenged to uh
[55:17] save lives are doing so with the best
[55:20] intent in mind and truly uh there
[55:22] there's no uh ill will in their ass for
[55:25] you to evacuate
[55:26] and your assistance and cooperation
[55:29] truly AIDS their attempts to make sure
[55:32] that there are no lives lost in any of
[55:33] these events uh so I just wanted to say
[55:35] uh thank you to our local uh uh EMS
[55:38] responders um the mayor continuously lws
[55:41] not only uh these individuals but also
[55:43] our Police Department for their efforts
[55:45] uh but definitely as we enter just the
[55:46] heighten firefight a heightened Fire
[55:48] season just please be collaborative and
[55:51] Cooperative thank you thank
[55:54] you mayor
[55:58] thank you Madame President uh appreciate
[56:01] everyone coming out tonight and your
[56:02] comments uh council member Patrick
[56:04] talked about the swimming pool we had a
[56:06] successful opening uh was delayed a
[56:09] little bit because of construction
[56:11] almost a year for Central Park but it's
[56:13] clearly a uh great investment for the
[56:15] community and want people to be able to
[56:18] use it uh for many years to come quacken
[56:22] Bush and Front Street are also opening
[56:25] now uh uh today was a little bit cooler
[56:29] uh I think we're going to get another
[56:30] couple hot days down the road
[56:33] so people uh be cautious drink fluids uh
[56:39] and sometimes take a little bit of time
[56:40] to check on some of your neighbors or
[56:42] elderly senior citizens who uh might
[56:45] also uh be in a situation that could be
[56:47] compromised by uh the high heat thank
[56:51] you madam president thank you mayor I'd
[56:54] also like to thank everyone for coming
[56:55] out tonight tonight um I appreciate you
[56:57] know everything that you have to say and
[56:59] know that I am listening and taking all
[57:02] these things in consideration um I want
[57:04] to know I want you to know for those of
[57:05] you who are um supporting the ceasefire
[57:07] I appreciate that you continue to do the
[57:09] work and um and I'm actually glad to
[57:12] hear that there's going to be a people's
[57:14] resolution because I think the people
[57:15] who are supportive should be able to to
[57:18] participate in that way so um with that
[57:22] I have nothing else and I'll ask for a
[57:25] motion to adjourn
[57:27] moved by Mr Williams second by Mr Farley
[57:29] all those in favor we're adjourned have
[57:31] a good evening
[57:54] [Music]
[57:56] he
[57:58] [Music]